


Reform Or Bust

by Cerdic519



Series: Sanditon, Or The Sorely-Tried Alpha [7]
Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Sanditon - Jane Austen, Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Castiel and Dean Winchester in Love, F/F, F/M, Inheritance, London, M/M, Minor Character Death, Parliament (UK), Period Typical Attitudes, Politics, Sussex, Tea, Teasing, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-23 19:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16165430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: A furtherSanditonDestiel sequel. It is 1830. Much has changed in the past decade but unfortunately not the method of electing members of parliament, which remains stuck in a long-past century. But the pressure for reform is becoming irresistible – and a pair of idjits will be in at the end when, like Castiel's trousers, it all goes down.





	1. Departures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Blitzdrake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blitzdrake/gifts), [Mjs1wv](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mjs1wv/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean arrive back in Sandover for the summer break just in time for a major local event. Lady Rowena Denham has passed on to terrify either Heaven or Hell (possibly both, given her reputation) – and there are one or two surprises in her will.

Mr. Castiel Parker smiled as their carriage drew up outside Halsey House, their home in Sanditon. It had been a long and tiring parliamentary session, and he was looking forward to a nice long rest.

Then he caught the look that his mate was giving him and realized that he would not be getting much rest any time soon. In which assumption he was soon proven quite correct.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Having resigned from the government over their shameful behaviour after the Peterloo Massacre, Castiel's career as the Tory member of parliament for Hailsham did not last much longer, ending at the general election in early 1820. He had decided not to stand for parliament again and instead spend his time with his family in Sussex. And one early change came with the passing of both his parents in 1821, since they left him the family home Halsey House. Castiel's elder brother Michael unsuccessfully contested the will, and was so disgruntled that he subsequently took himself off to the United States, somehow 'forgetting' his now grown children from his marriage. Indeed, Castiel's only bad moment was the discovery of a whole load of manuscripts from his late mother, although as this happened in October he was able to add them to the celebration of Guy Fawkes' Night soon after.

There was a happier departure from Sanditon the following year, when Miss Dorothy Lambe's father died and left her his West Indies plantations. She and Miss Griffiths had to go there to sort matters out (with Castiel's help), and on their return decided to move to Cumberland and open a hotel by one of the Lakes there. It rapidly became very popular, and Castiel and Dean visited one time not long after.

The twenties were an uneasy time for Great Britain. In 1826 there was another general election and Castiel was asked by the Whigs to stand for them in either Hailsham or Lewes. Since Colonel Henry Fairhead who had brought them the news of Balthazar's demise was standing as a Tory in the latter town Castiel agreed to try for his old seat, and despite the Tories gaining at their rivals' expense almost everywhere else he was elected with an impressive majority, helped no doubt by Lord Gilsome's repulsive and outspoken son Lord Simon standing against him.

The couple's celebrations had had their offspring giving them dirty looks for a whole week!

One more event marked this decade when in 1828 Mr. Thomas Neill died. That passing allowed his sons Gadreel and Ezekiel to inherit his huge estate, and they, Samuel Pensnett and their family decamped to the estate's great house in Morayshire, in north-east Scotland. Dean was sorry to see his brother leave but at least it gave both of them an excuse to wear kilts around the house for a while, which in Castiel's case sometimes meant that he did not even make it out of the bedroom most days!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The day after their return, what was left of Mr. Castiel Parker limped downstairs, glaring suspiciously at his footmen who were trying very hard (and failing even harder) not to snigger. Why was the dining-room so far away from the bedroom all of a sudden? At least his omega was letting him wear the soft kilt; all that air around certain regions was deliciously soothing. And thank the Lord (or his mate) for that wonderful cooling unguent.

The alpha limped into the dining-room, ignoring the smirks and eye-rolls from several people who may or may not have been offspring of his. He really should have sat down yesterday with Jensen and Jared who had been left in charge of the house during their last absence but.... well, he had had other things on his mind. And sitting down..... yes.

He sat carefully on his favourite (and well-padded) chair, sighing happily once he was down.

“There is news, Father”, Jensen said carefully. He really had grown into a most handsome alpha, the image of his papa. “I did send it to London, but I doubt that it reached you before your departure. About Lady Denham.”

Castiel nodded, then winced at the pain.

“That was last week”, he said. “The post is not that slow, son.”

His eldest son shook his head.

“Not that”, he said. “The will was read at her funeral – and she had married in secret before she died. To Colonel Philip Fairhead!”

Castiel stared at his son in shock.

“I did wonder”, Dean mused. “He seemed to be there a lot before he himself died last year. I suppose this means that Colonel Henry will inherit the estate.”

“Mr. Crowley-Denham and Miss Masters will be furious!” Jared grinned. “I will wager they are contacting their solicitors already.”

“Knowing the fecklessness of those two, I very much doubt they can afford any”, Castiel said. “Is there bacon?”

“Over there”, Dean said, pointing to a dish several hundred miles away across the table. 

The alpha sighed and looked piteously at his mate. Dean grinned.

“I suppose I can do some work for once!” he grinned.

The exclamations of disgust from their family had both men smiling. Castiel rather carefully, though; all those facial muscles took a lot of operating.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

It was a month of surprises, it seemed. Just days later Sanditon heard the news from London.

“So Prinny has finally burst his buttons once too often”, Dean said, “and now we have Pineapple Head as a monarch.”

“So disrespectful!” Castiel muttered disapprovingly.

“I certainly respected you last night!” Dean pointed out.

“Four times!” Jensen muttered. “We all heard!”

Castiel flushed bright red. And there was no need for a certain omega mate to look so damn proud of himself!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The death of King George IV meant of course a general election¹, and Castiel spent many hours campaigning in Hailsham. Fortunately the Tories had split the previous year over Catholic Emancipation the year before, a large number of hard-line opponents to that now calling themselves Ultra Tories. Even better, despite his thrashing four years back Lord Simon was standing again, so Castiel's re-election looked very likely.

It was ironic, Castiel thought, that he was campaigning for reform as he was effectively doing himself out of a job. The proposals for reform meant that a whole swathe of smaller seats would be swept away², and Hailsham was bound to be one of them. If the bill passed he would either have to find another seat or give up politics and stay home with his sex-mad omega mate. 

Meh, there were worse fates.

He arrived home to find his son Diniel had his fellow omega Harry Fairhead round. The youngest son of Castiel's fellow member of parliament, Harry was charming, good-looking and with four elder alpha brothers all in or training for the army more than equipped to deal with any handsy alphas or betas who mistook his youth for innocence, as several of them had found out the hard way. Castiel sighed resignedly; the boy was determined to follow his father into politics and become the first omega member of parliament, which meant a long evening of questions ahead.

Sure enough he was barely out of his boots before both boys were on him. At least his mate was there to sit with him during the inquisition.

“Hal wants to know all about a place called Retford, Father”, Diniel said. “I said you would know about it, because you know everything!”

His son's faith was touching, and fortunately Castiel did know about the seat that had bedevilled the whole of the last parliament.

“East Retford is a small town in Nottinghamshire”, he began. “It is a dual member seat, and since the Tory and Whig groupings are about equal strength there they had tended to only contest one seat each at each election.”

“Cosy!” Diniel muttered.

“Unfortunately at the last election the deal broke down”, Castiel went on. “There was widespread fraud and vote-rigging³, and the whole matter ended up in first the courts and then parliament. The most sensible thing to have done would have been to have awarded one or both seats to the unrepresented northern cities, but the Tory government tried to fudge the issue and eventually the papers switched from looking at one seat to demanding wholesale reform.”

“A rotten borough, sir?” Harry Fairhead asked politely.

Castiel noted out of the corner of his eye that his son Scaden had entered the room and was eyeing up their visitor in a way that was borderline unbecoming. He coughed slightly before going on, and Scaden moved over the bookcase whilst still not so covertly looking at their omega visitor.

“Not really”, Castiel said. “A rotten borough is when you have few or no voters in a constituency. The other famous type, a pocket borough, is where a rich landlord owns most or all of the houses of the voters, so they have to vote for his candidate. The two do overlap somewhat.”

“How can there be a vote if there are no people there?” Harry asked.

“Old Sarum is the most famous example”, Castiel said. “The right to vote attaches to the plots of land owned by the landowner there, and he simply registers each with one of his tenants and tells them how to vote.”

“Not very democratic”, Scaden observed from his bookshelf.

“Well, democracy takes time”, Castiel smiled. “All good things come to he who waits.”

He had aimed that at his son, so it was quite unfair of Dean to briefly lower his belt and.... oh Lord, the black lace ones! It was going to be a long, hard evening!

With any luck!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Wellington gets the boot, a noble with a tea connection gets a job, and another member of the Parker family heads north.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) General elections were then held at most every seven years, although governments often went to the country early if they felt that they were popular enough or if they just did not want to risk some disaster befalling them close to the deadline. They could however be caught out by an election caused by the death of the monarch. This practice ended with William IV; a mixture of parliamentary reform and his niece's long reign led to its abolition.  
>  2) Of 203 English boroughs before the Reform Act, 56 would be abolished completely and a further 30 would lose one of their two members. This was countered by 22 large cities becoming dual-member seats for the first time and a further 19 becoming single-member ones, plus increased representation for the counties.  
>  3) Secret ballots did not become the law until 1872. Not because of any concern for democracy it might be noted, but because unpaid members of parliament found the larger electorate too expensive to bribe!


	2. Bucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pressure for reform brings a change of government within weeks of the general election, Scaden Parker growls a lot while his brother Jensen takes his papa's advice and makes a sudden and unexpected move North.

General elections, Mr. Castiel Parker had always said, took far too long.

“I know something else that is far too long!” his mate grinned from across the carriage. The alpha winced as his cock swelled against the binding cock-ring, but his teasing omega must have used one of the most resistant ones. There may or may not have been a small noise that an uncharitable person (most likely one with green eyes and bowed legs) might have cruelly and maliciously misinterpreted as a whine.

“Stop it!” Castiel grumbled. “There will be nothing left of me for tomorrow's session, and Wellington needs all the help he can get.”

That was true, Dean knew. The Tories had taken a hammering at the election, and would be reliant on the Ultra-Tories to keep them in power. Plus some of both groups including Castiel's friend Colonel Fairhead were pro-reform despite their party allegiance. At least the alpha had increased his own majority, such that his opponent had actually lost his deposit.

“Do you think it was wise to leave Scaden in charge of the house this time?” he wondered. “You know how he is over young Harry Fairhead.”

“So does anyone with those things called eyes!” Dean retorted. “No, I have told him not to do anything foolish whilst we are gone – or else!”

“Or else I shall have Words with him”, Castiel agreed.

“Something like that”, Dean grinned.

Sometimes the alpha wondered what he had ever seen in the omega – and then a sudden rut in the road brought tears to his eyes and very forcibly reminded him. Oh yes. That.

Definitely not the smirking that went with it!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

“I am invited to a ball at Mr. Harris' house this evening”, Castiel groaned. “I really do not want to go.”

“Why is he inviting you anywhere?” Dean wondered. “He is a Tory and one of those most against reform.”

“With the government as shaky as it is”, Castiel explained, “they are looking to win back one or more of the small handful like me who have defected in the past decade.” 

Dean thought for a moment.

“I know that a caveman like Georgie Harris will not want an omega there”, he said, “but why not take Jensen? What with Jared mooning over having had to leave Ion back in Sanditon, he has little to do just now.”

“Good idea”, Castiel said.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean waited until his husband had gone off to the Commons before tackling his eldest son. Jensen was the image of him but definitely all alpha despite his tender years.

“How far has this thing with Miss Harris gone, Jen?” Dean asked.

Except for the blush, the omega thought. That definitely came from his father.

“She... returns my affections, papa”, Jensen said quietly. “But her father would never approve such a match. Especially....”

He stopped, looking decidedly awkward.

“Especially what?” Dean pressed.

“He wishes her to marry Lord Fanshaw when she comes of age next April”, his son said, shuddering. “The rat is old enough to be her father!”

“That is quite wrong”, Dean said. “Pressuring the young into arranged marriages like that can only lead to trouble, in my opinion. Next thing we know she will be eloping to Gretna Green¹ with some alpha buck who thinks to elude the law. Indeed, said alpha buck might even contrive to shake off his pursuers by detouring into the Lakes where, it is said, a certain friend of ours maintains a most respected hotel on the shores of Lake Windermere.”

He looked pointedly at his son.

“That would be terrible!” Jensen agreed.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel sighed as he collapsed into his chair. 

“I did not think to see the day when Wellington would lose a battle”, he said. “But that speech of his against reform has gone down very badly in the press and even amongst some of his own party. He has resigned and the king – reluctantly, I would wager – has asked Grey² to form a government. We are back in power, albeit in a minority.”

Dean was surprised.

“What do you think will happen?” he asked.

“Grey will attempt some sort of reform”, Castiel said, “which may or may not get through the Commons. There are many Tories including Colonel Fairhead who are fearful of the mood of the country right now and might go a way to supporting it, depending on how far-reaching it is. It will be a close-run thing either way. We shall soon see.”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

“It must be love”, Dean said as they relaxed after a sumptuous Christmas dinner. The rest of the family were dotted around the room with the exception of Scaden Parker, who was sat on a chair by the door growling at anyone who came near him. 

The reason for their third son's current state was that young Harry Fairhead had brought over a Christmas present for him only for the omega to start a sudden and most untimely heat. Castiel had hurried the young man to a side-room whilst Dean had sent for his father and Scaden had growled angrily at his alpha brothers. He had even growled at a surprised Colonel Fairhead who was now with his son, although he had apologized immediately. Castiel smiled at his son's behaviour.

“I wonder if I can get you growling like that tonight”, Dean said quietly. “I have a new consignment of extra-hot spices for us to try.”

Castiel suddenly found breathing difficult. Then Dean flashed the white lacy panties he was wearing and things got even harder.

 _Much_ harder!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Three months later and things had, it seemed, settled down. To his delight Dean had not one but two weddings to plan as Jared had proposed to and been accepted by Ion, and Colonel Fairhead had accepted Scaden's suit of his omega son. Although Harry's four brothers had paid a visit (in uniform complete with weapons) which, the omega noted, had left Scaden looking very thoughtful. And not a little bit afraid!

It was just bad timing that what happened next happened when it did.

It was a cold March day when Castiel returned to the house unexpectedly early. Dean was both surprised and concerned, given the news that had just reached him.

“As I feared”, the alpha sighed. “That rat Harris and his friends have destroyed Grey's attempt at reform. It would have just doubled the electorate to about three-quarters of a million out of seventeen million people in the country but that was too much for them.”

“How?” Dean asked.

“They kept trying to make all sorts of changes in committee”, the alpha said. “Each small and inconsequential on its own, but the effect was to neuter the bill as a whole. Grey has gone to the king and demanded a general election, so we will have to return to Sussex. That bastard Harris; I hope he gets what is coming to him!”

“I rather think he already has”, Dean said carefully. His husband looked at him.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Remember Scay was visiting that friend of his up in Buckinghamshire?” Dean said.

“Yes?”

“Well, it sees that Mr. Harris' daughter 'just happened' to be visiting a friend of hers nearby”, Dean said. “They have left a letter saying they have eloped to Gretna Green!”

Castiel stared at his mate in shock.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Scaden Parker feels the heat, one man's political career comes to a crashing end, there is a family wedding and a second attempt at reform fails leading to widespread rioting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Despite the formation of Great Britain in 1707, England and Scotland retained (and still retain) their separate legal systems. The opening of a turnpike road across the Border in the 1770s had made Gretna Green (then Graitney), the first village across the Border, an attractive place to which men could flee with their willing and occasionally unwilling brides-to-be, a situation that continued to the time of this story. It effectively ended in 1856 with a change to Scots law that required three weeks residency prior to marriage, but the village today still has many places where people can get married including the two smithies, as blacksmiths were at the time allowed to perform the service 'over the anvil'.  
> 2) Charles Grey, Earl Grey (1764-1845). He would only be prime minister for four years but would oversee electoral reform, the abolition of slavery, local government reform and an early Factory Act improving conditions for workers. Ironically he is today best remembered for the bergamot-flavoured tea which was presented to him one time and which later took his name; this came about because the herb was strong enough for its flavour to counter the lime in the waters around Howick Hall, the Grey family seat in Northumberland.


	3. Omega Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A politician makes a barnstorming speech that comes to an unexpected end and the situation regarding Jensen Parker is sorted out. A second attempt at Reform scrapes through the House of Commons only to be blocked in the House of Lords, leading to widespread rioting.

“Oh dear.”

Castiel looked sharply at his mate. When Dean brought out his Face of Absolute And Utter Insincerity, it rarely boded well. Usually for a certain alpha's backside.

“What is it?” he yawned. The situation regarding their eldest son's elopement remained unresolved, and last night his mate had said he would take Castiel's mind off of things for a while. What was left of that mind was barely functioning this morning and he was as usual intensely grateful for his padded chair. If not, as usual, for some bossy omega's knowing smirk.

“Mr. Harris is dead.”

Castiel looked up in surprise. His fellow member of parliament – former member just now, as there was an election on – had been enraged at his daughter's elopement with Castiel and Dean's eldest son, especially as his efforts had been unable to find them anywhere between London and Gretna Green, but had had to withdraw to campaign in his distant Cornish constituency where he was for once facing a challenge.

“'One of the most colourful characters in the unreformed House of Commons will not be gracing the new chamber'”, Dean read from the _Times_. “'Mr. Harris delivered a barnstorming speech against reform in Callington last night as part of his quest to retain his Harrowbarrow  & St. Dominick seat. Unfortunately he collapsed at the end and was pronounced dead on his arrival at the local hospital'.”

Castiel knew what that meant, and not just for the voters of Harrowbarrow & St. Dominick. The late Mr. Harris' son Forrest was a much more amenable gentleman and some arrangement would doubtless be able to be made over the runaway lovers.

“Now we just need to find where they went”, he sighed.

“To Charlie's place in the Lakes”, Dean said. “They have been there since they fled Buckinghamshire.”

“And you knew all along?” Castiel said testily. “Dean!”

“Sex?” the omega said cheekily.

“I am not that easily distracted”, the alpha grumbled.

“I have new panties!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Reader, a certain alpha _was_ that easily distracted. Thrice over!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

It was a fine May morning in Sanditon, and Castiel was feeling very happy. Not just because of the events of the night before – seriously, where did his mate keep coming up with the sort of things that made their family give them dirty looks when they came in? - but for two other reasons the first of which was the final election result. It looked certain that the Whigs would have an outright majority in the Commons, which threw the spotlight squarely on all the Tories in the Lords.

The other reason was that they had not been the only ones 'busy' last night, as was witnessed by the belated arrival of a certain family member to breakfast.

“Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!”

What was left of Scaden Parker limped slowly to the breakfast table, looking in very poor shape. Plans for his marriage to Harry Fairhead would have to be shelved as the omega had suffered a rare second heat close after the first, for which he had demanded (and gotten) his alpha mate. Many times, judging from the wrecked state of the young alpha.

Scaden lowered himself very carefully onto his chair, ignoring the sniggers of some people whom he did not recognize as his relatives, then turned slowly to look pointedly at his papa.

“Did you _have_ to have that talk with Hal before we went up, papa?” he groaned. “Lord above, I ache _everywhere!”_

“Better eat quickly”, Dean advised, “because he will be wanting you again ere long. Or you could take some food up to him?”

His third son looked piteously at him.

“I do not want to give him any more energy!” he moaned. 

“No stamina, some alphas”, his brother Peter snarked.

“We shall see how you cope when your mate wants you six ways from Sunday!” Scaden retorted. “Please, someone pass me the bacon.”

“Not to worry”, Dean said comfortingly. “I arranged for breakfast to be taken to him in your room so he does not have to manage the stairs. You have at least half an hour before you go back up to him.”

“The stairs”, Scaden sighed. “Why do we have so many.. wait a minute. Why did you not have breakfast sent up to _me_?”

His soon to be ex-relatives sniggered.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

“Four months wasted!” Castiel sighed as he all but collapsed onto the settee at their London home. His mate immediately joined him and nestled against his husband, eliciting a sound that was most definitely not a purr whatever anyone said. Or smirked.

“The Lords blocked the reform bill?” Dean asked. Castiel nodded.

“The _Times_ this evening is reporting riots across London”, he said unhappily, “and these will spread to the provinces soon enough. The Lords have badly misjudged the mood of the country over this. Let us pray it does not end in our own revolution!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Mr. Jared Parker did not roll his eyes when he arrived at the altar to find his father looked more than slightly dishevelled. In the sense that the Atlantic Ocean was more than slightly damp.

“It seems to be a rite of passage”, his soon to be mate Ion noted, “that the elder generation must traumatize the younger at every opportunity. At least we shall be able to do it to our own children soon enough.”

That was true, Jared knew, as the wedding was timed before the omega's next expected heat, the first signs of which were already detectable. Fortunately everyone expected the alpha at an alpha-omega wedding to growl defensively at everyone, even his twin brother and the latter's new wife fresh from their own wedding the day before. At which his parents had also.... well, some things did not change.

Inias Parker moved over to make room for his cousin.

“Sorry we are a bit late”, Dean grinned. “It took some time to get Cas into his formal clothes.”

“Into, out of and back into again?” Inias guessed. Dean smirked.

“And we also got the news from London”, he said. “The king has prorogued² parliament at Grey's request, so he can bring in the reform bill in the new session.”

“Why would he do that?” Inias asked.

“Cas said some law that they cannot reintroduce the same or a similar bill in the same session”, Dean said. “Handkerchiefs at the ready; I always cry at weddings.”

“Luke cried before it”, Inias grinned. “You are not the only ones to have found a handy back room; he is still in there recovering!”

The omegas grinned knowingly at each other as the ceremony began.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time there is another marriage, an engagement, a Talk, a broken promise – oh yes, and _finally_ a bit of parliamentary reform.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) The House of Lords, the Upper House of the British Houses of Parliament. George III and his son George IV had greatly enlarged it by creating many new peerages, most of them Tories virulently against any parliamentary reform, so it had recovered some of its former power. It was finally made subservient to the elected Commons in 1911.   
> 2) The ending of a session of parliament. In the past more powerful monarchs did this when they did not want or have the power to end a parliament they did not like; for example King James II had prorogued his first parliament in 1685 but did not formally end it until 1687.


	4. Mastery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The political situation deteriorates and a revolution looks increasingly likely – but the Tories in the House of Lords fold when confronted with the rage of the public, and the first small step on the long road to full democracy is secured. Meanwhile eighteen-year-old Diniel Parker is furious with someone in the house who is a Very Bad Alpha.

Monseigneur Dean Parker did not smirk as what was left of his third son slumped into a chair and groaned in pain.

“Two heats, one after the other!” Scaden complained. “I am going to die!”

The omega chuckled and passed his son a fair-sized jar of unguent.

“What is this?” Scaden asked, puzzled.

“Cooling Lotion”, Dean said. “You will need it, son. The three months after a successful heat are known as the Hump so Harry will be even more demanding.”

“That is not possible!” Scaden said firmly. “How did you come to have this?”

Dean just smirked. Too late his son got it.

“Ew! Bad mental image!”

His papa chuckled.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

“Seventy new Whig members of parliament”, Dean said as he read the _Times_. “Surely the House of Lords cannot block reform any more?”

“Grey has given ground on reducing the total number of MPs”, Castiel said, “but otherwise he is still aiming to destroy all those rotten and pocket boroughs. I am very much afraid that they _will_ be that stupid.”

There was a high-pitched yelp from the room above, followed by a long pained moan. Castiel recognized that sort of noise. He raised his eyebrows.

“Please tell me you did not show Harry the Knot-Massager?”

His mate just sniggered.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Although Castiel and Dean's house was only a few miles from Westminster, there was only one other member who had a house in Kennington. Unfortunately it was one of the few Whigs who Castiel really could not stand, the pompous Mr. Antoninus Sedgefield, whom his beloved mate had described as 'so far up his rear end, he could strangle himself with his own guts'. Quite improper if all too accurate.

Mr. Sedgefield's butler was a Mr. Candy, a polite and even-tempered beta who somehow coped with his impossible master without resorting to murder (unfortunately, Dean had once quipped). Castiel was attending a social event at Sedgefield House when the butler asked if he might have a word. Puzzled, the alpha led him aside.

“You have always struck me as a fair-minded person, sir”, he said nervously, “so I would venture to ask a great favour.”

“Say on”, Castiel asked, wondering what this was all about.

“Have you seen Mr. Benedict?”

“He is the black footman”, Castiel said. “Always very well turned out, from the few times I have been here.”

“I am afraid he is in trouble, sir”, the butler said. “Mrs. Sedgefield, she..... well, she is pregnant and her husband knows it cannot be his because.. you know.”

Castiel did know.

“Go on”, he said.

“She claimed that she was raped by Mr. Benedict”, the butler explained, “and the master said he would have the man castrated to 'stop any more funny business'. That was yesterday; I sent him to my sister's house in Camberwell but my master is searching for him. I was wondering... might you have any vacancies on your staff?”

“I not only do”, Castiel said, “but I also have a friend up in the Lakes who can fake almost any documents. We shall provide your Mr. Benedict with a new identity and all will be well.”

Ah.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Ironically it was the day after the dinner at Mr. Sedgefield's house and before his former footman's arrival that Castiel learnt the bad news.

“I cannot believe it!” he stormed. “The king has ratted on his promise to create more Tory peers so Grey as resigned. Wellington is going to try to form a new government.”

“He cannot succeed, surely?” Dean asked. “He has barely a quarter of all the House.”

“There will be more riots around the country at this”, Castiel said. “Yes, he will fail. Surely the Lords have to give way?”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

May was a busy month. Castiel arrived home a few days later full of news.

“Grey is back!” he said triumphantly. “The king has given way and told the Lords that unless they yield on reform he will create enough new Whig peers to give us a majority in the Upper House. We have won!”

He belatedly noticed his mate's quietness.

“What is it?” he asked anxiously.

Before Dean could answer the door flew open and their elder omega son Diniel burst in. Nearly nineteen years of age now he was physically very similar to his papa (down to the pout, Castiel thought privately), and now he looked furious. And, his father noted, definitely in the early stages of a heat.

“That..... man!” he stormed. “He is One Mean Alpha!”

“What alpha?” Castiel asked, confused.

“Your Mr. Benedict arrived today”, Dean explained, “and triggered a heat in Dino.”

Castiel paled.

“Please tell me he did not”, he said.

“The bastard refuses to knot me!” his son protested. “A perfectly good knot, and he says it would be wrong whilst I cannot give consent. I am going to kill him!”

“Or marry him?” Dean suggested dryly.

“Papa, may I borrow your box of items?” Diniel said. “Let us see if that breaks him!”

“Probably”, Dean said. “They always work on your father. Just remember, only use Box Three if the first two fail; your poor father had to spend a day standing up the last time I used it on him.”

Castiel blushed fiercely. Especially because his mate was quite right.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The final triumph came the following month, when the Great Reform Act was finally passed. True, it was a small step towards proper reform and the moves to end women's rights to vote along with that of omega's in certain circumstances would ultimately provoke exactly the sort of reaction its proponents did not want, but it was a start. 

Dean again had not one but two marriages to plan, for as well as Diniel and Benedict (the giant had finally knotted the omega once his heat was over, as everyone in the house and the neighbouring houses well knew!), the couple's daughter Rosemary had brought a handsome Welshman called Mr. Llewellyn Feher home. And Castiel did not pout at the fact that it was his omega who got to have the talk with the fellow, nor at the fact that the visitor turned a funny shade of white at one point.

He did not pout that much because his omega Did Not Like It, and when that happened there were usually the sort of Consequences that made a certain alpha's fiftieth birthday seem a lot more than just two years away. And which made said certain alpha think about rechecking the wording of that life insurance policy that Dean had ma.... asked him to take out.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Six more years pass, and Castiel and Dean both pass their fiftieth birthdays, still.... well, still being Castiel and Dean, to the continuing mortification of their offspring. The story resumes with _Coronation Capers_ in 1838, when the couple go to London for Queen Victoria's coronation and behave themselves with all the decorum one might expect.  
Decorum _is_ a small Roman shopping-centre, is it not?


End file.
